• Home

New signboards for Business Bay bridge

DUBAI — The Roads and Transport Authority yesterday started installing 150 new traffic signboards on the roads leading to the newly-opened Business Bay Crossing after poor night visibility and construction work led to two casualties in less than 12 hours and several minor accidents over the weekend.

An official at the RTA said that the authority had already erected signboards on all roads that lead to the Business Bay Crossing with directions for motorists. He said that an awareness campaign would soon be launched to inform motorists about the new crossing while the already erected signs also indicate a maximum speed which must be strictly followed. “The awareness campaign will reduce traffic on Al Maktoum and Al Garhoud bridges,” he added.

Motorists, however, say that absence of proper signs and low lighting at night on the bridge made driving on the partly opened bridge extremely dangerous.

Says Mohammed Kaleem, “The route is, no doubt, traffic free, but this is one reason that makes it dangerous. People drive on high speed even when they know it is a new road, thereby, making it dangerous for other drivers.” Another motorist said that she had nearly missed hitting a road divider because the road ended in between suddenly.“ I think that the RTA should install more road signs indicating turnings and diversions,” she added.

Three weeks ago, the Business Bay Crossing was partly opened to traffic. Six out of the 13 lanes of the third bridge over the creek were opened while the other lanes will be completed in the coming months.

The Dh800 million bridge is located 1.5 km south of Al Garhoud Bridge near the Festival City and provides a new road route for motorists crossing the creek.

According to recent statistics on the bridge, Dubai Police said that two people, a male and female, were burnt to death in less than 12 hours in two major accidents that took place over the weekend.